A RENOWNED photography exhibition is coming to Coventry to showcase extraordinary images from the natural world – and will be free.
Images from the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year will be displayed at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum as part of an international tour.
More than 100 spectacular images from last year’s competition will feature at the exhibition running from Saturday, February 16 to Sunday, June 2.
The acclaimed competition was first held in 1965.
The 2018 edition celebrates biodiversity, promotes conservation, and champions ethical photography.
There were more than 45,000 submissions to expert judges, assessed for their creativity, originality and technical excellence.
The Herbert is the first West Midlands gallery to host the exhibition.
Dutchman Marsel van Oosten claimed the top prize for 2018 for his entry – The Golden Couple – a portrait of a pair of golden snub-nosed monkeys in the Qinling Mountains in China.
Skye Meaker, from South Africa, was the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2018 Grand title winner for his image Lounging Leopard, an intimate portrait of one of the resident leopards of the Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana.
Cultural and creative director at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum Francis Ranford said: “The judges have chosen some truly memorable images for the 2018 exhibition, and it will be fantastic to showcase 100 of these entries in our gallery.
“There will be a wide variety of works on display, reflecting the diversity of the earth’s environments, and capturing endangered species in their natural habitats. It really is a must-see.”
Head of touring exhibitions at the Natural History Museum Jan English said: “These images tell thought-provoking stories about our planet that prompt us all to think differently about the natural world and the future we want to create.”
Entries for the 2019 Wildlife Photographer of the Year are now closed, with the winners to be announced in October.
